That's the Way Love Goes: VI

Thanks for reading!

dA: Cali2007, no1sangel, hayakchi, zodiac1805, pookiewookie1234, & inusessy.

FanFiction: OneRogueAngel, flirtymiyu, maire 53, darknessofmyheart, HeyLeslie, & UtterChaos247

PaperDemon/The Red Curtain: ladybattousai and Jns3372.

Replies:

MediaMiner:

buzzk97- Thanks so much! I'm uber-happy that you're enjoying this. I love you guys that read both my stories. ^_^ Well, it was more of a declaration than anything. She meant that without him in her life, she would be miserable. We're really close to Sesshoumaru getting his full memories back. Maybe next chapter or the one after, I haven't decided… Thanks so much for reading! See you next chapter!

HeartStar - Your wish is my command, lol. Seriously, I try to update sooner, but it's impossible. I have too many stories I'm working on, and I just have too much going on in real life.

A Single Spark:

DivaG - Man, you really hit the nail on the head! Not only are you correct about Kagome feeling insecure, thus she easily fell for Sesshoumaru's attention, but also, about his slowly becoming his old self! I'm glad you're enjoying this temporary Sesshoumaru. I'm almost sorry to revert him, but it's necessary. But that won't take place until either chapter 7 or 8. I'm glad you're enjoying!

Roberta - Ah, I'm so happy that you enjoy this! It flatters me that you find very little mistakes - I pride myself on it. So when a well-educated person tells me that my story is not only good, but so is the format, I'm a very happy person and float around the house. It's actually everyone's reviews that keep me writing, and the better reviews I get, the more inspired I am to write. I am going to answer your other question in an e-mail, since you are the 1st person to ask me, and it's complicated. Thanks so much for reading and reviewing!

A/N: Wow! Your responses to this story are amazing, people! Thanks to your word of mouth, I'm getting more and more reviews, faves, subscriptions, etc.! You guys are amazing, and it's a pleasure to write for you. ^_^ I always say reviews are love, and you guys have really been showing me some love. Thanks so much, all of you.

Don't forget - (***) will mark the beginning of a dream or flashback, depending on the situation.

“One more night, one more night…
I've been trying for so long, to let you know…
Let you know just how I feel.
And if I stumble, if I fall, just help me back;
So I can make you see…” -One More Night, Phil Collins

Chapter VI

When Kagome came to, Sesshoumaru was gone. She was alone, and she could tell it was quite late. The crushing weight of knowing he had left her there almost knocked all the air out of her lungs. Before she knew it, a tear was rolling slowly down her cheek. She wasn't cold, surprisingly. But the wetness on her face made it clear that it was rather cool out.

And she was alone.

Alone.

Kagome tried to hold back the rest of the tears that threatened to fall at the realization, but to no avail; with a blink, two little rivers made trails down her face. A sniffle made its way to her nose, and then a sob. Another sob quickly followed, and then a series of them, with another sniffle at the end. And then, Kagome was wailing, her face in the thick grass as she bawled.

Her head hurt from the exertion earlier, and now the crying was giving her a tension headache. Which, in turn, hurt, making her wail all the louder. But Kagome wasn't the naïve, helpless girl she was a few years ago. She felt youki, and it wasn't Sesshoumaru. A crunch of autumn leaves told her that whomever it was, was just a few paces away. Not trying to calm herself, Kagome gripped her bow that had been at her side, and felt for her quiver.

In milliseconds, Kagome was up on her feet, an arrow readied and drawn back. But she dropped them both, discharging her powers from the objects. More tears and a more hysterical sob escaped her as she threw her arms around her friend.

“Inuyasha!” she wailed.

Inuyasha wondered why the girl was crying, but she wasn't in the condition to speak.

“C'mon,” he said quietly, picking up her things, but never letting go of the girl in his arms.

She complied, and they made their way back to Kaede's.

From some distance, Sesshoumaru watched, cautious of the way the wind was blowing. He had held Kagome, waiting for her to wake from her exhausted sleep. But she didn't awaken until he dropped her; he had sensed his brother coming, and how would he explain being here with Kagome? He knew that she was having a hard enough time as it was - exposing themselves as… well, whatever they were, would only complicate things further.

Keeping downwind, Sesshoumaru diligently followed Inuyasha, keeping a close eye on the hanyou's hands. His brother had spent a lot of time in the influence of the monk, and he had heard many-a-tale from Kagome.

But the worst part was not being able to comfort Kagome. His heart wept with grief, hearing her sobs and smelling her tears. He had to literally fight himself in order to not leap through the trees, wretch his brothers' hands off the woman, and wrap his own arms around her. He longed to hold her, soothe her, kiss her. But for her own sake, he would have to stay hidden until she deemed it acceptable. He wished with his very soul that he could explain the situation to her; no doubt Kagome was thinking he was angry and had left her. Unfortunately, he would have to wait until she was not in the company of the hanyou.

The warm glow of the fire painted little trails up the bamboo walls of the hut as Kaede handed the younger miko a cup of tea. Sango was rubbing little soothing circles on her back. Miroku sat silently, absorbing every bit of information he could. Shippou - pleased that Kagome was finally back - lay asleep on Kagome's futon.

Suspicious, Inuyasha sat in a corner, watching his friend. He had tried not to think about the reason why Kagome might smell like his brother. But he just couldn't come up with a good reason why. The most disconcerting thing was that he also smelled burnt flesh on her, as well as her purification powers. Maybe… maybe Sesshoumaru had attacked her, and she tried to purify him? Yes, that must be it. He would ask her. Tomorrow. She was obviously distressed - she must have missed me a lot, he thought.

Kagome had finally stopped crying, but the pain had not subsided. She was numb - she couldn't feel anything, and she didn't want to. Why had he abandoned her? She had thought she had finally gotten through to him, finally proved that she wasn't in danger in his presence. Apparently, he must have taken off when she lost consciousness. Unfortunately, she didn't even have the strength to be angry. Her deadened limbs wouldn't respond to her thoughts… she couldn't speak, either. This was what worried her friends the most. Kagome was the least likely to be silent, so when something happened where the miko was silent, everyone took notice. Even little Kirara put a paw on her knee and mewed.

But Kagome was unresponsive. Almost catatonic. She vaguely remembered the pain and shock of seeing Kikyou kiss Inuyasha, and how he willingly tried to go to hell with her; this was much worse. This was a brazen dejection, and she wasn't taking it lightly, especially after what they had shared. Did this mean he was turning back to his old, icy self? No, she wouldn't believe it. There were so many reasons to hate him, but…

I love him, she realized.

Her eyes widened with the discovery. She gave the tiniest gasp, and it was so quiet, only Inuyasha and Kirara heard it. Instantly, the hanyou was by her side.

“Kagome? Kagome, are you ok?” he asked her, a hand on her shoulder.

I love him, and that means giving him another chance, she told herself. It was both so ridiculous and yet so true, she giggled. Inuyasha begin to get worried. His ears flattened in a display of concern. He shook her shoulder.

I love him, and I still want to see him. Maybe… Maybe it's not what I think. Maybe I should give him the chance to explain… Inuyasha shouted so loudly, Shippou woke with a start, rubbing his eyes.

“KAGOME!”

“Inuyasha, why are you yelling?” the kitsune mumbled.

Kagome finally looked at her friend, only to realize they were all looking at her quite strangely, except for Shippou, who only had eyes for Inuyasha's groin, which he intended on harming for waking him. Kagome was still smiling, unknowingly, and her friends were now alarmed. Thinking she was possessed or poisoned, they sprung into action:

“Miroku! Get the antidote in my bag,” Sango shouted as she grabbed Kagome by the shoulders, effectively securing her.

The monk retrieved the small container with a liquid, returning to his wifes' side.

“W-wait, what are you doing?” Kagome said, slightly panicked.

“Kagome, can you hear me? You gotta fight it…” Inuyasha asked, afraid that someone was controlling her.

“W-wha? Of course I can hear you! I'm answering you, aren't I?” she cried, furious. “Sango, get off of me!” She attempted to throw her friend off and get away, but the older, lithe taijiya was stronger, and kept her in place easily.

Kaede, who had just come back from fetching more water and had been informed, was chanting a spell in the corner of her home. Miroku was the only one who hesitated. He looked hastily at his wife, then at the frightened, bewildered miko.

“Sango, perhaps we should rethink…”

“Miroku, that's what we always used to do! And by the time we would figure it out, someone would be hurt,” she explained, attempting to get Kagome in a position where they could empty the liquid into her mouth.

Of course, Kagome wasn't completely helpless, and struggled enough that Sango could not do it by herself. “Inuyasha, you're going to have to hold her down,” she instructed.

“Don't you dare, Inuyasha! I'm fine! It's you guys that are crazy,” Kagome yelled.

Inuyasha was afraid of the choice, but he had seen Kagome put in danger so many times, and the last time, he had thought he had lost her for sure. So he leapt quickly, knocking Kagome down and straddling her, pinning her arms down by her wrists.

“Inuyasha! Get off of me!” Kagome cried, embarrassed by the situation she was in. Only one man - er, youkai - was allowed to place her in such a position! She struggled with all her might, but it was no use against hanyou strength.

Sango was moving above her, pulling the cork out of the container, tilting…

Kagome felt powerless. She didn't want to use her powers against her friend, but it was all she could do. She felt her powers flare, and saw Inuyasha's eyes widen with the realization…

And then something unexpected happened. In a flurry of movement, Kagome no longer felt Inuyasha's weight above her. And Sango was not there anymore, either. Then she heard a crash, and turned to look. Inuyasha was slammed into the far wall, and Sango had been knocked a few feet back. She barely had time to wonder what was happening when she was suddenly weightless.

The next thing she knew, Kagome felt the familiar warmth of Sesshoumaru's skin, and the slow hum of his youki. She was watching the hut she shared with her friends grow smaller as Sesshoumaru took her further away.

“You shouldn't have done that,” she said, not crossly.

He sniffed, unconvinced. “You wish to drink something that would put you to sleep?”

Kagome gasped. “Wha- No, Sango wouldn't-”

“Not to harm you,” he explained, “but she felt she had no other choice, I assume.”

Kagome grew very sad. “I don't understand. Why did they all…” She was on the verge of tears when a thought tugged at her. Sesshoumaru heard her sharp intake of breath. “Inuyasha! He'll come after me, Sesshoumaru. You have to let me go back and explain! He probably thinks you're going to kill me!”

“Nonsense,” was all he said.

“To us, yes. But Inuyasha has no idea what happened, and no one knows that we…” She blushed, unable to finish her sentence.

Her modesty was charming, and Sesshoumaru smiled. “I care not for whatever the hanyou thinks. I only wished to keep you from harm.”

Kagome smiled and attempted a hug from her awkward position in his arms. “Thank you. I didn't think I'd ever see you again,” she said, a little bashful.

“Again, nonsense.”

She looked up at him, and he looked so steeled she believed him instantly. But…

“Then why did you leave me?”

He almost skidded to a stop; it was probably the least graceful thing she had ever seen him do. He placed her on the ground so that she could look into his eyes, and she found them brimming with emotion. The golden pools, like the hottest part of lava, burned into her mind. He had stopped in a tiny clearing, perhaps only twenty feet across, and just as tall. Here, wildflowers were able to grow - purple, yellow, blue, pink - for the lack of the smothering trees. As she looked down at her shoes, she felt bad for stopping here, crushing the vivid colors.

“I held you until Inuyasha was almost upon us. When I put you down, the cold must have woken you. I did not want to go, but I assumed you would have preferred him not to know,” he said, looking away at the last part.

She laughed a short, sharp laugh. “And what about now? Like he's not going to know now?”

“Tell him I kidnapped you,” he said.

Kagome shook her head. “No, it's time I tell the truth. I should tell them how much I love you,” she said, her gaze travelling to her feet.

Sesshoumaru's eyes widened in surprise. Had he heard right? The woman he yearned for… loved him? A ruthless, killing, cold monster? Quickly, images from his dreams flashed through his mind, reminding him of the creature he used to be. But he shook his head, clearing it. He would not spoil such a moment with such thoughts.

He grasped her and pulled her to his chest, enveloping her in his arms. She sighed happily, believing she had never felt so safe before. But they were interrupted by the sound of trees crashing to the floor, coming straight towards them - Inuyasha. Kagome could feel Sesshoumaru's grip tighten as they listened.

Suddenly, Sesshoumaru pulled away and stepped in front of her; Inuyasha crashed into the little clearing, effectively knocking down more trees.

“You bastard!” Inuyasha cried, Tessaiga in hand, “Where's Kagome? Why did you take her? Was it to get me out in the open? You think it's finally time to kill me or somethin'? Well I got news for you… I'm not goin' down without a fight, and takin' Kagome only pissed me the fuck off!” He got into a fighting stance, mildly curious to why his brother was not drawing Bakusaiga, but also not really caring.

Sesshoumaru repressed the urge to roll his eyes. “I told you. I don't want to fight you, Inuyasha, or kill you,” he said, barely hiding his impatience.

Kagome almost gasped, hearing how with his anger, his speech pattern had changed. It was like… he was more like Inuyasha when he was upset.

“Keh. Whatever. Your lies don't work on me, Sesshoumaru. Now where is Kagome, and why did you take her if you're not trying to get to me?” he asked, the winds of the Kaze no Kizu swirling around his blade.

Kagome sighed. She really didn't blame him. Inuyasha was simply done what he has done for the past three years - protect her. How many times had she been kidnapped? How many times had she been kidnapped in order to get to Inuyasha? How many times had the villain been Naraku? Of course, he had every right to believe that Sesshoumaru's intentions were evil. And he would never believe his brothers' words, therefore, it was time to intervene.

She cleared her throat as she peeked out from behind the youkai. “I'm right here, Inuyasha,” she said. She watched sadly as the hanyou's eyes widened in surprise, then narrowed suspiciously, and finally looked at her with both longing and question.

“Kagome…” It sounded more like a question than an order, “get away from him and come to me.”

Kagome felt like crying, but she knew it would confuse him more. “No,” was all she said.

He looked at her with an expression of total shock; then it turned to anger. “What did you do to her, Sesshoumaru? She's not herself.”

Sesshoumaru had sensed that Kagome wanted to take care of this herself - either way, there was nothing he could do to convince his brother, and if they fought, he could not guarantee that he would not harm the hanyou. And if he wounded Inuyasha, Kagome would be upset. So he would leave this to her. He was only here to protect her from any rash ideas his brother might have.

Inuyasha was fueled by his brothers' silence. “I said… What the fuck did you do-“ He was interrupted by her sigh.

“Inuyasha, he didn't do anything to me. He was saving me,” she said quietly.

Inuyasha seemed confused, and he voiced it. “Saving you from what?”

“From you,” she said, her voice so small, it sounded like a mouse had whispered it. But both males heard it, and Sesshoumaru closed his eyes, awaiting the reaction. Now, the tears that had threatened to fall, did. She hadn't wanted to hurt him like this… this what not how she imagined… not how she wanted to explain… she wanted to hold him… wanted Sesshoumaru to hold her…

The look on Inuyasha's face was that of horror - more at her insinuation, because he had not grasped the full meaning yet. Inuyasha's mind allowed him to solve only one problem at a time. “From… Me?” He pointed at himself dumbly, not believing her words.

“Inuyasha,” she began, reaching for him. But Sesshoumaru growled a warning. She knew what he meant; Inuyasha was unpredictable and unstable at a time like this.

Inuyasha watched the interaction. She… was listening to him? She was going to let him tell her what to do? No, that wasn't right! She had to come home… with him!

From beside Sesshoumaru, Kagome tried to explain, her heart wrenched in two. “Inuyasha, it wasn't right… what you were trying to do to me. There's nothing wrong with me. I just… I…” She didn't know how he was going to react, and she was afraid of what he might do.

Then, as her muddled mind tried to sort the words, she felt a light brush of Sesshoumaru's hand against her own. She steeled herself, finding comfort in the fact that the person she loved was beside her, and wouldn't let any harm come to her. The person she loved…

Kagome found Sesshoumaru's fingers and squeezed, and somehow, she found strength. “I love Sesshoumaru,” she half-blurted.

She watched as Inuyasha's eyes widened so much she thought they would pop out of his head.

“You… WHAT?!” he cried disbelievingly. He began to take a step towards her.

Sesshoumaru stepped in front of Kagome, but did not take any action otherwise.

Seeing the defensive behavior and knowing it was his right to protect her, not his brother's, Inuyasha roared as he lunged at the powerful youkai, Tessaiga raised and no longer swirling with wind, but black, threatening to swallow them whole.

Sesshoumaru didn't know why, but he realized this was dangerous. He turned quickly, gathered Kagome into his arms, and leapt…

Inuyasha wasn't surprised and anticipated his moves, attempting to grab Kagome, who was stunned by the recent events. Sesshoumaru growled, a warning to his brother to leave them be. But Inuyasha was blinded by his fury - had he lost her forever? To his brother?

Kagome's head was reeling - had she really just confessed her love to Inuyasha? About his own brother? She wanted to crawl in a hole and die! Did you see the look on his face? her subconscious asked. He was so hurt… And now he's furious. Imagine what he'll feel like when he actually sits down and thinks about it… Tears began to fall again, and Kagome sniffled. But first, this had to stop. Kagome took a deep breath.

Inuyasha jumped towards them again, and Sesshoumaru placed a hand on Bakusaiga's hilt. Kagome felt him do so, and…

“Inuyasha…”

She saw his ears turn from flat on his head towards her, and his eyes widen, knowing what was coming.

“Osuwari!”

With a grunt, the hanyou hit the ground face-first, and Tessaiga transformed to its' resting state. Sesshoumaru marveled at this, wondering what sort of power his miko had on his brother.

“Kagome, how did you…”

“Not now, Sesshoumaru. Can we get back to the village? I need my things; when you grabbed me, I didn't have my pack on me,” she asked.

He nodded, bounding away effortlessly, while the spell held Inuyasha to the ground for a few more seconds. He wanted to get the pack and get out of there before Inuyasha found them, so he ran quickly, arriving in just a few minutes. Kagome could tell there was still much going on, and she asked for privacy. He told her he would wait nearby, so that if she needed him, he would be there. She felt the chill of the night - it was late, and was growing colder every minute.

Walking into the hut nervously, she caught the eyes of her sensei first - Kaede looked at her dubiously, but seeing no malice, smiled warmly.

“Ah, child, you have returned!”

Hearing her, Sango and Miroku turned to face her as well.

“Kagome-sama!” Miroku said, rushing forward. A low growl from outside stopped him in his tracks. He glanced to the doorway, but saw no hanyou, and no youkai. Looking back to his friend, she explained.

“Sesshoumaru is staying outside, so I may talk to you,” she said calmly. “I came for my backpack, and I wanted to-”

Unable to keep it hidden any longer, Sango burst into tears. “Kagome!” she cried, embracing her friend. They held each other briefly, and Kagome reluctantly pulled away.

Miroku faced the door again. “What, you don't approve of me hugging her but it is fine for Sango?” He heard a deep chuckle in response. “Sesshoumaru? He is the one that… brought you here? Where is Inuyasha?” He directed this to Kagome, who turned to face him.

“There's no time to explain,” Kagome said, pushing away from Sango and retrieving her backpack from its' place on the floor. “But I need you to listen to me carefully,” she told them sadly. “I'm fine. I'm not hurt, and I'm not crazy. I love Sesshoumaru. I tried to tell Inuyasha-” she heard Sango gasp “-but he wouldn't listen. He thinks I'm under some sort of spell. He went ballistic, and…” She exhaled, not knowing if she could finish. “I just… I'm sorry.”

Exasperated, Kagome wanted nothing more than to just hold her friends, or be held - which, she wasn't sure. What she did know, was that she didn't have time. Turning back to the door, she heard a sob from her friend, the demonslayer, as she walked through.

Outside, she was quickly swept up by her youkai, and he spun her around in an arc as they embraced, her sobs muffled by his mass of hair. He held her tight, caressing the back of her head and burying his own face in the crook of her neck. He stopped, holding her still but less tightly. Whispering, her told her it was time to go. She nodded weakly, and he took her into his arms and leapt into the woods to the west, making his way back to Rin and Jaken as the heavens began to rumble and roll with the threat of a thunderstorm.

~~~~~()~~@

Deep in the northern part of the forest, a hanyou sat in the dirt, surrounded by his own outline. Weeping into his hands, he heard the echo of her words over and over again. `I love Sesshoumaru… I love Sesshoumaru… I love Sesshoumaru…'

With a half-growl, half-sob, Inuyasha picked himself up. He could feel the anger grow within him as the lightning flashed through the sky, its' mate, thunder, close behind, voicing their arrival. He looked to the south, towards the village he took residence in. Then he looked to the west - his brother's lands. There was no doubt Sesshoumaru would be taking her to their ancestral lands. But before he could follow, he would have to go back home, to gather his friends and allies…

~~~~~()~~@

They travelled for hours, Sesshoumaru leaping through the treetops, attempting to outrun the storm. Kagome was exhausted and miserable - she needed to rest, and if she got soaked, she would be even more despondent. He ran tirelessly, scenting the winds for hints as to when the clouds would open and deliver their sorrow upon the earth. And by the smell of things, that moment was going to be upon them soon - most likely before they would be in the company of the rest of his group. The cold in itself was enough to hide from.

The sound of deep, spaced breaths caught his attention, and Sesshoumaru realized Kagome was asleep. He was relieved; she had been so stressed, and he thought she would never regain her proper mind. He thought about how he had less than forty-eight hours with her: it was not enough. He wanted her by his side forever. But his miko was special; she could travel through time, and she was smart, brave, and beautiful. And her heart was so enormous, he thought she needed a larger body to carry it. Smiling as he looked down onto her, he made the final leap into the clearing where he had told his retainers to meet him.

Back in the area where he had spent so much time with the priestess, he looked towards the waterfall, knowing it would be the only shelter from the driving rain the winds promised. To his left, there was a small, crackling fire, and Rin and Jaken were both asleep around it. One of Ah-Un's heads was snoozing, the other grunted its' welcome, waking the other head.

Jaken, who had been sleeping against the beast, woke slowly. He grumbled to the animal, complaining about waking him. But when the two-headed dragon would not let him go back to sleep, the imp came more into consciousness and became aware of his master's youki, looking around for him. It wasn't hard; the looming, white figure of Sesshoumaru stood nearby, scenting the wind.

“M-master!” he cried, jumping to his feet.

A stern look from the graceful youkai silenced him effectively, and he awaited instruction.

“Jaken,” Sesshoumaru called.

The little youkai stood upright, saluting his master. Sesshoumaru resisted killing the creature.

“It is going to rain very soon. I leave Kagome in your care - I must get Rin to Shelter,” he explained before setting Kagome down gently. She resisted, tangling her fingers in his hair and groaning softly.

He smiled gently and removed her slender fingers from his person. She still attempted to grasp at him, but the lack of clothing on his upper half prevented her from clinging, and soon she was asleep on the soft grass. Jaken stood over her diligently, and Sesshoumaru picked up the younger girl. She sighed in his arms, and he hugged her quickly, ashamed that he had been neglecting her in his pining for the miko. Tomorrow, they would spend some time together, he decided.

In less than a minute, Sesshoumaru had Rin placed strategically near the small, warm pool in the cave under the waterfall. But he was worried; what if she were to roll into the water? No, Kagome had taught her to swim. She would be surprised, but the water was not deep. Unfortunately, this was the warmest place in the cave - even near the entrance, the biting cold of the evening could be felt. It was extremely dark, since the moon was covered by the moisture-rich clouds that were to empty any second…

Convinced, Sesshoumaru raced back to where he had left Kagome; even though she was near the fire, she was shivering.

“Jaken. Enter the cave and start another fire. We shall all sleep there tonight,” he ordered.

“Hai, milord,” Jaken said with a low bow, scurrying off quickly, Ah-Un at his heels.

Sesshoumaru dumped some soil on the fire, dousing it just as the first raindrops fell to the earth. He saw Kagome move in her sleep, the cold, wet environment waking her slowly. He reached for her, but her eyes shot open. She shot up instantly, grasping herself and shivering. Despite being worried about her condition, Sesshoumaru chuckled. She looked up suddenly, as if just noticing his presence.

“S-S-S-S-Sesshoumaru…” she tried between clenched teeth.

Acting quickly, he picked her up, wrapping his arms around her. She sighed slowly, as if the act of hugging her instantly relieved all maladies. But he knew better. He needed to get her to the warmth of the cave. She ran her fingers tantalizingly along his dampened skin, and he let loose a breath he hadn't known he was holding. When she arrived at his sides, his skin trembled and he pulled away.

“I-I'm sorry… I didn't mean to…” she began, becoming upset.

But when she looked at him, his head down and his bangs covering his eyes, he refused to look at her. She bent low and tilted her head, attempting to gauge how angry he was. But what she saw both confused and amused her. He was… smiling? No, it wasn't a complete smile. It was almost as if…

“Sesshoumaru?” she ventured. “Are you… ticklish?”

He looked up, glaring at her. “I am no such thing,” he said, stalking her like prey.

For the first time since the accident, Kagome was afraid of him. She trembled underneath the weight of his predatory stare and backed up without knowing she had done so. The cold wind, blowing violently around them, drove rain into every surface, and Kagome was thoroughly frozen again, making her shiver even more.

But Sesshoumaru had no plans to harm her - he reached out quickly, seizing her arm and pulling her close, knowing she was very cold. He felt her icy skin against his chest and buried his nose in her hair, inhaling her fresh scent.

“Please… don't do that again,” he asked softly.

Kagome gasped. She pulled back, a smile playing on her lips. “You are ticklish, aren't you?” she asked. She gave him no room to respond, but experimented instead. She ran her fingertips along his ribs, from his hips upwards, and he jerked away, a tiny smile on his lips. She laughed gaily. He scowled.

“All right, all right, truce,” she said, holding her hands up in a placating gesture.

He could not stay angry with her, so he took her in his arms once more and for the first time in a week, he captured her lips in a warm, inviting kiss. Kagome melted into him, her form molding against his as if they had been fitted for each other long ago. She moaned, her skin warming with each second of the lingering kiss. She felt his fangs lengthen, and she brushed her bottom lip against them. He hungered for her, and he devoured her taste as if they had been parted for years.

And then, the winds slowed to a crawl, stopping the rain as well. Had it not been so sudden, Sesshoumaru would not have been alarmed. But it was too quick, too unexpected. He looked around, instantly pulling Kagome behind him, troubling the woman. But there was nothing - no jyaki, no youki, no threat. He was vigilant, however. Kagome understood, and kept silent as she stood behind him, holding on to his sides.

But as he scented the air for danger, he noticed the wind changing direction; there was no threat, the weather was simply changing. He relaxed, and Kagome walked around to face him.

“Everything ok?” she asked, shivering again.

“Hn,” he sounded, looking up to the sky. “But the rain is not finished.”

And as if on cue, the clouds opened up once again. The first few drops were large and heavy, but few and far between. But as the two lifted their faces to the sky, the drops came more quickly and purposefully. Within seconds, the fat raindrops were slamming to the earth, as if the gods were hurling them at the ground, attempting to flatten mountains and deepen gorges.

“Ow,” Kagome said, cowering into Sesshoumaru's frame.

Sesshoumaru smirked before sweeping her into his arms and running to the cave. He laid her on her feet at the entrance, and they were both greeted by a blast of warmth. Kagome squealed in delight, kicking off her shoes and putting her pink bag on the ground where it landed with a soggy flop. She took off her socks, setting them on a rock near the fire to dry.

Giggling happily, Kagome reached for her pack again, pulling out their soggy contents. Sesshoumaru watched her, content that she was warmer than before, and was no longer getting rained upon. The fire colored her hair a burnished amber, dancing like little sprites on her body. The flames licked every inch of her, and he felt the urge to take her once more; but there would be no time tonight - the cave had other occupants and the weather did not permit such frolicking. She made an unhappy noise, and it drew his attention. He looked on curiously. She pulled out several paper-made items; they contained paper, bound by more paper. These might be the `books' she spoke of.

She groaned again as she pulled out the last of them, and put two of them near the fire, open. The others she laid out near the wall of the cave. Under the books, however, her spare clothes had remained dry, and she sighed, content. She pulled out a few articles of clothing, and walked to Sesshoumaru. She grasped his shoulder and pulled gently, making him bend towards her.

Her breath ghosted against his ear as she whispered to him. “Sesshoumaru, I need to change. But…”

He understood. He commanded Jaken not to look, and Ah-Un understood without being told, turning its' heads away and closing all four eyes. Kagome stood behind the youkai but still felt exposed with the cave entrance at her back. Quickly and quietly, Kagome ripped the jeans and sweater off and replaced them with pajama pants and a tank top. Once dressed, she slipped her bra off and stuffed everything into the little sack.

Sesshoumaru instructed his retainer to go about his business, and he responded by settling against the dragon youkai and trying to fall asleep. Satisfied, the Taiyoukai turned back to his miko. She was staring up at him, a smirk playing across her lips and her hands behind her back. Intrigued, he approached her, but she stepped back for every step forward he took.

She giggled, and he swatted at her, attempting to catch her. She knew he was toying with her; he could easily have her in his arms, should he choose to do so. Finally, she stopped moving, and he did as well.

“Turn around,” she instructed. It was so soft and gentle a command, he didn't hesitate, he simply did as she said.

She walked up to him, slightly to his right. She slipped something on his arm, and he realized it was his kimono. All the way up to his shoulder, and then she went to his left side, repeating the movements. Then, she was before him. His eyes shone eerily in the dimness by the cave entrance. Kagome was facing the fire, so her eyes glittered with passion and excitement. He stilled himself, however, and allowed her to continue. She grasped the ends of both sides, closing the kimono and sealing away his skin; she had become so besotted with his flesh that she almost opened the folds again.

Then she took his obi from around her neck - where had that come from? he wondered lazily - and wrapped it around his waist, her breasts pressing tantalizingly against his stomach. He could feel her renewed heat through their combined clothing and wished he could remove them. She slowly tied the obi in a loose knot; he would fix it the way he preferred later. Finished, Kagome stepped around him to find a place to lay near the fire. She took a futon from her pack, laid it down, and began to lower herself.

But she never touched the futon. Instead, Sesshoumaru had gotten behind her and lifted her into his arms. She was surprised, but she felt safe, so she remained silent. She looked into his eyes, now full of fire, partially the fault of the bonfire, partially his own desire. He lowered himself onto the futon, and she was soon on his lap. But he did not keep her there; he adjusted himself, sat her down, then lay down himself, pulling her with him. They lay on their sides, facing and holding one another.

And in the arms of the person they cared for most in the world, each fell into a deep sleep, exhausted by the events of the day.

~~~~~()~~@

In the morning, Kagome woke to birds singing, water splashing, and… Sesshoumaru? She remembered now - they had laid down together. Oh, but the others! Suddenly self-conscious, Kagome scooted under the covers of the thick blanket she had brought with her. The dragon, the imp, and the girl were all missing; obviously they had seen her in `bed' with their Lord.

Even more mortified, the woman attempted to bury herself within the folds of the blanket. Suddenly, she felt a tickling sensation that alarmed her - was it a spider? Oh, how she hated spiders. She turned quickly under the covers to find…

Sesshoumaru's golden eyes staring at her, a smirk across his lips. Kagome gasped - she hadn't expected to find him under the covers as well. He laughed openly at her; she took offense, scowling at him.

“Were you the one tickling me?” she asked angrily.

“Miko, why do you act embarrassed? Surely, Rin doesn't care that we are together, and Jaken-” He paused, thinking. “- if Jaken were foolish enough to question my desires, then that would be his own undoing,” he smiled, tilting her chin up to kiss her.

But she pulled away.

“Kagome, is something wrong?” he asked worriedly.

She hesitated, but explained. “I… No, nothing's wrong, per say. But… Well, every day - it seems - you become more and more like yourself…”

He interrupted. “And this bothers you. You wish for my `old self' to not return?”

“No,” she said sternly, cross with him for interrupting. “It's just that… I don't want you to forget me, Sesshoumaru. When your memory comes back, you may not want me anymore,” she explained. It was stupid, she knew; but deep in the back of her mind, it nagged at her.

Sesshoumaru chuckled, as if he truly found this absurd. “Nonsense. It isn't possible for me to forget you. And even more impossible for me to stop loving you.”

Then he pulled her close and kissed her.

Her mind swam with desire and confusion, which didn't make for an ideal combination when one was just waking up. She was muddled, and didn't like feeling that way. After a few moments, she pulled away. Peeling the blanket off them both and relieved to not find anyone else in the cave, Kagome grinned slyly at him.

“Sesshoumaru, I need to bathe,” she said coyly.

He perked up at this; a moment ago he was sulking with the loss of her.

Now, she scowled. “So get out.”

He looked so adorably bewildered at the extreme mood change - something that deeply reminded her of her friends, since they were well accustomed to the mood swings - that she almost gave in. But she held her ground:

“Since I am healed, I no longer need you assistance,” she said sweetly.

A little too sweetly, he thought. Grumbling, Sesshoumaru stood and left.

When he was gone, Kagome stretched, yawned noisily, and clapped her hands together.

“Yay! A bath!”

Within seconds, she was naked and wet, her bathing items on a rock at the pool's edge. She dunked, soaking her hair fully. She wiped the water and hair out of her eyes when she came to the surface gasping for air, and blinking, reached for her shampoo. But… it was gone! She looked around - she could have sworn she took it out along with her… Her soap was gone, too!

Scowling, Kagome turned ninety degrees to find the boulder that she used to climb out when she froze. Right in front of her stood Sesshoumaru. Slowly her eyes travelled up his body until her eyes rested on his smirking face. What was he so damn happy about?

“I believe you are looking for these?” he said, making it sound as if he didn't actually know these were the items he was talking about as he showed her his hand, complete with soap and shampoo.

“Oh, yes. Thank you…” she said, reaching for his hand and still confused about how she had forgotten them.

“Oh, so you do need me to give these to you?” he said, a snarky tone in his voice.

And then it hit Kagome. Not only was he teasing her, but he was responsible! He had taken the things while she had been underwater! Angry, Kagome opened her mouth to yell at him, but he simply turned to walk away.

“No, no! I'm sorry! Yes, I need those things and I need you to give them to me. Please…” It wouldn't be her first time bathing without them, but if she didn't need to…

Sesshoumaru stopped in his tracks, as if weighing his options

Turning towards her, he walked to the edge of the warm pool. He bent and placed her cleansing necessities on the rock he had found them and turned away, going back to the futon. He laid down and covered himself once more.

Befuddled, Kagome watched him for several moments until she could hold it in no longer.

“Um… Sesshoumaru?”

“Hn?” A muffled baritone came from under the blanket.

“You…” Unable to find the words, Kagome simply watched his back, then sank into the water.

After a small simmering period, Sesshoumaru turned towards her. With a sigh, he spoke.

“Contrary to your belief, miko, I am not here simply to ogle your naked body, although that would be a bonus. I only wished to be with you, and assist you if you need such,” he said before turning around once more and snuggling under the blanket.

Sheepish, Kagome was more concerned than when she had realized his retainers had seen them in the same bed. Here was a loving, caring man, who cherished her for her mind, body, and soul - and she treated him like a teenager trying to get laid. She silently berated herself and quickly washed; when she was dry and wrapped in her only towel, she kneeled on the futon next to her youkai.

“I'm sorry,” she said.

He had uncovered himself when she had sat down, and he nodded now.

But she continued. “I shouldn't have treated you that way. I'm so sorry, Sesshoumaru. I love you…”

He smelled the beginning of tears, and didn't want her to waste any of her time in this era crying, so he did the only sensible thing -

Reaching between the folds of the towel, he grasped a breast, surprising the woman. She gasped, and he used his other hand to pull her down to his lips, where they met. She kissed him hungrily, and he played with her nipple, teasing it. And slowly, he pulled away. The tears were long gone, and he was thankful.

“You must dress,” he told her, but it was not a command.

Still muzzy with the first tendrils of lust, Kagome nodded. She pulled herself up and walked to her backpack, where she pulled out a red skirt - she could feel from here that is was warmer than yesterday - and a white, long-sleeved blouse. On auto-pilot, she placed her limbs in and through, zipped zippers and buttoned buttons, and slipped her feet into socks. When she was fully dressed, Sesshoumaru stood by her side.

Satisfied, he grasped her hand and led her outside. She was gratefully surprised that Rin had placed some breakfast items on a mat for her several yards from the entrance. Basking in the sun, Kagome ate greedily as Sesshoumaru sat in silence, listening to their environment.

When she was satiated, Kagome stood, but was unable to decide what she wanted to do. When the demon asked her the very question she had been asking herself, however, she was struck by an idea. She skipped back into the cave and returned to him with a book on psychology. He looked at it askance, a little dubious as to the nature of a book that had a wildly-colored brain on the cover.

Kagome giggled. “It's not going to bite you. I got this one for you to read,” she told him. But I need it back by next weekend - I'm not going to need it this week. So I hope you read fast.”

She smiled, and he took the book from her. He noticed a little piece of paper sticking out and fingered it, sending a questioning glance her way.

“Oh, right,” she said, remembering the reason. “I marked that page because it's kinda about you.”

He looked even more suspicious now, and she laughed again.

“Well, I was hoping you would read it yourself, in case you didn't believe me,” she said shyly, then continued. “There's a whole chapter on amnesia - that's what you have. It's a… malady of the brain where you don't remember. There are all kinds - sometimes, you just don't remember people. Sometimes, you forget everything. But you…” She took a breath, then explained her theory. “You have something called `Retrograde Amnesia', and I would say it's post-traumatic.”

He looked at her as if she had grown another head - or several - and she sighed. “What that means,” she explained, “is that your kind of amnesia was caused by a certain traumatic event - mainly my almost purifying you - and is the type where you still have your wits about you, but you can't remember yourself, friends, family, and etcetera. Seems like your semantic and procedural memory is fine…”

He looked impressed, and seemed interested in beginning to read, but he made himself wait - he had plenty of time to read when she was in her own time. On the other hand, Kagome felt lost; it hadn't seemed real until now, but here - in front of him, telling him - it became very real. She had done this to him.

He could feel the weight of her sorrow; it was like a heavy, black curtain that had come down upon their shoulders, and he wished to be rid of it. Putting the book down, he grasped her hand yet again and lifted her up. He swept her into his arms and they walked towards the field of flowers where Rin played when she were younger. But now Rin was interested in other things, and she was with Ah-Un somewhere, and they had the field to themselves.

He settled them in a patch of bright violet blooms, and Kagome tried not to step on them. Sesshoumaru smirked, but felt pride and amazement at her love of all things living. She bent to look more closely, and smelled them. He did the same, and they spent a portion of the late morning lazing about in a field of flowers.

For dinner, Sesshoumaru was overruled by the women and they fished; neither had seen this side of the youkai, and it amused them to see him flounder about - inu were not fishers. When they had caught enough, the females cooked them over a fire that Ah-Un had graced them with. Jaken grumbled to the side, murmuring about useless onna. But Kagome had the impression that he was upset that Sesshoumaru seemed to not need him any longer. Did Jaken miss the old, ruthless Sesshoumaru? Did he miss the glory of killing and the excitement of battle? Regardless, they had not really battled for some time, according to Rin.

After dinner, Rin went to bathe in the pool, and Jaken followed to start the small campfire in there as he watched over her. Sesshoumaru was just about to speak to the miko when they heard the shrill, girlish scream. In the blink of an eye, the demon lord had crossed the clearing to the cave, and entered, which only made the screaming worse. He left the cave to stand outside, where he asked his ward if she was all right.

“I'm FINE!” she cried, obviously disturbed.

The Taiyoukai and the smaller retainer exchanged looks; they were baffled. It took Kagome much longer to run across the field, but she was concerned as well. As she approached, Sesshoumaru apologized for leaving her behind and then told her it was not a good idea to enter - they didn't know what was wrong with Rin. Kagome looked inside, and saw Rin huddled in the corner of the pool, clutching herself tightly. Obviously, she was distressed.

Kagome moved to walk into the warmer cave; Jaken had been successful in making a campfire before Rin's assault on his sensitive youkai ears. Suddenly, her youkai stopped her; he seemed alarmed, holding her back with an arm as he sniffed the air. He zipped into the cave, Jaken on his heels. Kagome wondered what they sensed - sometimes, she wished she had the powers of youkai - but she was glad to not have super-hearing as Rin screamed once more, sending the males packing.

“Get OUT!”

Jaken yelled back - something about obstinate and insufferable children and ungrateful women. Sesshoumaru, still concerned and baffled, only stood outside the cave. Kagome decided. She strode into the cave, the two youkai males attempting to hold her back. She waved them off, telling them that she didn't have sensitive ears like they did. There was nothing they could do - they stood their ground and waited, now concerned for Kagome's welfare as well.

“Perhaps Rin is possessed?” Jaken croaked, much to his master's dismay.

Sesshoumaru turned cold, hard eyes on him, making the youkai squeak and grovel, but the thought lingered with him… But then… why the scent of blood?

Kagome had dealt with many witches, demons, ghosts, black mikos, monsters, and the over-all undead for three years now. She wasn't afraid of Rin. Walking directly in, she flinched when Rin spun her head, obviously irate from the other attempts to enter from the males. But when she saw it was Kagome, her features softened, and she began to cry.

“Oh, Kagome-sama!” The girl said, her vision blurry already through her tear-hazed eyes.

Kagome looked at her huddled form, then looked at the clothes near the pool. She saw nothing wrong, but undressed and entered as well. She hugged Rin, holding her close and allowing her to cry. After several moments, the girl began to calm and the sniffling finally slowed so she could speak. Kagome waited patiently, allowing her to begin. She didn't have to wait long.

“Kagome, I…”

Rin looked away suddenly, ashamed. Kagome frowned. What could be causing such a reaction in the normally bubbly, cheerful Rin? She steeled herself.

“Kagome… Remember how you taught me about `periods' and how they mark you becoming an adult?”

Oh, Kagome thought. Some strange, detached part of the miko's mind registered how her influence had allowed Rin to stop referring to herself in the third person.

“I… I'm not sure, but I think I got mine,” Rin said sadly.

“How do you know?” Kagome asked her quietly.

Rin thought for only a moment. “Well, I'm bleeding. And I didn't hurt myself. You told me that other things happen when the cycle comes…” She waited for some kind of reaction from the woman.

Kagome nodded encouraging her to continue.

“My stomach felt funny today. I thought it was something I ate. But it was different. Like, I was hungrier, and I was craving stuff, but anything I ate didn't satisfy my hunger. And… I hurt.”

Kagome smiled sympathetically. “Rin-chan… those stomach pains are called `cramps'. I know they feel odd. If you take a warm bath, they will ease,” she told the now-young-woman.

Rin nodded. “They do feel better, since I've been in the water,” she agreed.

Kagome smiled wider. “And the cravings are normal. You have things in your body called `hormones', and they make you want to eat things that you don't even know you want. As for the hurting…” Kagome looked away, but Rin touched her arm, compelling her to continue. “Well, your muscles will ache, even though you haven't done anything. And you might become impossibly tired-”

“I took a nap today in the woods,” Rin confessed, looking embarrassed.

Kagome nodded her understanding. “And you might be sore, in your chest,” Kagome finished.

“Why?”

“I'm not really sure,” Kagome told her truthfully. “But it sucks.”

They laughed, but then Rin brought something up that confused the older woman. Rin bent so low, her mouth was almost under water, and she spoke so softly, Kagome strained to hear her. But when she understood what the girl was saying, she also understood why she wanted such privacy.

“Kagome-sama, I'm very grateful for your knowledge, but that's not what I meant by hurting,” Rin said, looking towards the cave entrance.

Kagome looked at her both questioningly and curiously.

“I…” Rin looked down at the water, as if not really wanting to say what she was about to say. Kagome waited, and thought about how after tonight, she should be made the Patron Saint of Patience.

“When I think about Kohaku,” Rin began, her cheeks flushing a bright rosy hue, “ I hurt.”

Kagome knew it would be rude to laugh, so she bit her cheek; on the other hand, she was relieved to finally know why Rin had been so distant lately.

“Rin-chan, that's not really pain, per say,” Kagome told her. “It's more of… an ache.” She sighed, blowing little ripples in the water.

“Oh,” the girl said. “Well, why do I feel this way? It's only when I think of him.”

Now, Kagome did laugh. “Because, I know how you feel,” she told the girl.

“Oh!” Rin said, smiling finally. “You mean like with Sesshoumaru-sama?” Rin said, brightening.

But Kagome did not want Sesshoumaru hearing this part of the conversation any more than Rin had wanted him to hear about Kohaku. She scowled at her, lowering her own voice. “Yes,” she replied simply.

Rin smiled, then frowned. “Does this… Does this mean I love Kohaku?”

Kagome thought for a moment, then answered in the best way she knew. “It might. You could just be attracted to him, but the two of you went through a lot together. The only way to find out is to spend some time with him,” Kagome told her.

Rin brightened again at the idea of this. “That is a wonderful idea, Kagome-sama!” Back to the frown. “But, how will I convince Sesshoumaru-sama that I intend to spend time with him?”

Kagome smiled craftily. “You don't. Don't worry, leave it up to me. Now that you are an adult, you need a new kimono more than ever,” she said, winking at the young woman.

Rin realized what she was implying, and winked back.

When Kagome knew all was well, she exited the pool and dressed. To her utter relief, she found that Sesshoumaru had travelled back to the eating campsite, where he had rifled through Kagome's pack in search of the Psychology book. He was reading it avidly. Kagome sat next to him, blowing a puff of air though a few strands of hair as she sighed.

“You weren't listening?” she said, an eyebrow raised in surprise.

“Should I have been?” he asked, mimicking her expression and putting the book down.

Kagome giggled. “No, I'm glad you weren't; Rin was troubled,” she told him.

The demon smirked. “After I knew there was no real danger, I left you to her.”

Kagome looked at him askance. “But… there was blood…”

Now, Sesshoumaru looked troubled. “Indeed. But something inside told me that it was not a wound that troubled Rin,” he said, looking to Kagome for reassurance.

She waited a moment, taking in the information and choosing her words. “Our Rin is becoming a woman,” she said quietly.

Sesshoumaru was taken aback. He hadn't anticipated this; his instincts told him he knew what this was, yet with his memory loss, he hadn't experienced it first-hand. Kagome had not been with him long enough for him to be subjected to it. He didn't even recognize Kagome's use of the collective possession of the young girl.

The miko noticed his confusion, and simply said, “She's going to need a new kimono; that one is too small.”

Sesshoumaru seemed to think for a moment, and agreed. “Yes. She seems overdue for a larger one,” he said, looking in the direction of the growing-up girl.

“She told me you were all on your way to get her one when our little `accident' occurred,” Kagome informed him.

He was mildly surprised, but took it in stride. “Then perhaps we should try again.”

END CHAPTER.